In Spring of 2019, I led the teaching team for a new class called ‘Hacking for Local.’ The students were incredible — 18 students, mixed undergraduate and graduate, across 13 different majors including CS, mechanical engineer, media studies, development practice, and business. Co-taught across business, engineering, and public policy, students work to understand and address local problems facing residents and communities throughout Oakland, Berkeley, and San Leandro. By getting out of the building, partnering with government and local organizations, and engaging a diverse array of stakeholders, students learn to navigate complex social, economic, and political systems. Students spent the semester working on issues such as wildfire management, housing affordability, equitable development, sustainable transportation, and health care access.

Partners: BMNT, Schmidt Futures, Blum Center for Developing Economies

Syllabus: The syllabus can be found here.

Press:

Fast Company - 5/8/19 - In this college class, the assignment is to solve a local problem

Mercury Sun - 5/7/19 - Here’s what happens when UC Berkeley students try to ‘hack’ the housing crisis

Berkeley News - 4/9/19 - A Course for Addressing Wicked Problems in the Bay Area

Mercury Sun - 2/4/10 - Solve the Bay Area housing crisis, fight climate change and more, all while earning college credit